Made with glass reinforced concrete and recycled aluminum, the learning center is especially "futuristic."

The Market @ Masdar kicked off at 10am on Friday. After parking their lowly fossil-fueled vehicles in the entrance parking lot, visitors rode driverless pod cars through a rather dull (but prefabricated and low impact concrete lot) to what will be the center of a more complete, future Masdar City. Each pod car holds four people and are guided by magnetic strips placed every two meters in the concrete “roads.”

Inside the square, surrounded by Masdar’s signature, futuristic buildings, a variety of businesses showed off their recycled products, fair trade jewelry, and organic food, while organizations such as the Abu Dhabi Environment Agency discussed important environmental issues such as plastic pollution. Heavy on meat dishes common to the region, the cafeteria offered scant vegetarian options, but products available at the organic food store and Mazaraa farm filled in the gaps.

Although well-attended, all was not smooth. Only one set of bathrooms was available for the throng, Mazaraa organic farm nearly cooked their ducks and goats alive in the roaring sun, and visitors had to line up for a solid 20-30 minutes in order to ride the pod cars back to their own. Given that the Masdar Market comprised the first large influx of people, these hiccups were to be expected and organizers have until September, or the next street fair, to fix them.

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18 Comments

RobAndrews123June 24, 2011 at 4:41 am

The design of the library (the building that resembles the Dorian in Singapore) is really nice. Unfortunately some of the design detailing coupled with shoddy construction has led to a building that is already in need of maintenance (and toilet odour control).

The misters are great, they really compliment the tropical tree ferns at the main entrance. Just as well water’s not in short supply in UAE…. oh, hang on a minute…

Wood is a renewable resource. Wood’s made from trees, so we grow trees to make wood or paper. Just like we grow potatoes to make french fries, are we running out of potatoes? Most of wood or paper pulp grown today is done on tree farms, seldom do paper companies go into real forests for harvesting. Those that do selectively harvest trees as to not clear cut whole areas. And we have more trees now than we did a hundred years ago.

when i saw the email, its just sound good reading ” largest wooden structure”. Saw the slideshow and read about it, everything is good.But, my concern is how come this street is entitled as eco street if they are using tonnes of wood.

As per my knowledge wood=trees.

just the doubt.

Tafline LaylinMay 10, 2011 at 1:28 pm

Having followed the development for over a year now, with my impressions wavering throughout, I have come to see Masdar as an absolute necessity. The Middle East imports most of its building materials. If there is to be any hope of creating an environmental movement here, we need a supply chain. Masdar will do this. It’s like a testing ground, a practice run for overall sustainability throughout the Middle East. I’m familiar with Nicolai’s (awesome) article. And I agree that it is likely that only privileged people will be able to live in this city when it’s done. But there are side effects that will benefit everyone.

lazyreaderMay 10, 2011 at 8:02 am

Some sceptics are concerned that the city will be only symbolic for Abu Dhabi, and that it may become just a luxury development for the wealthy. New York Times writer, Nicolai Ouroussoff calls it the ultimate gated community, he said……….”the crystallization of another global phenomenon: the growing division of the world into refined, high-end enclaves and vast formless ghettos where issues like sustainability have little immediate relevance.”

Fred MoavenMay 4, 2011 at 2:03 am

information about masdar city, and masdar institute

lazyreaderMay 3, 2011 at 7:52 am

It just proves you can’t subject new ideas immediately onto a culture to begin with. Few vegetarian options in a place where meat is the norm. The dense cluster of buildings (designed to reduce heat and glare) with such narrow gaps of light adds an almost claustrophobic element to it. The solar panels on the roof that stick out in such plain sight and metal posts on the paths denoting locations signify this place is more industrial factory than residential town. This place screams more Fritz Lang Metropolis. More EPCOT than neighborhood. The only difference is no one lives at EPCOT yet millions of people still go there every year to have a good time.